African Business magazine has teamed up with Microsoft 4Afrika as well as African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) to lead the Innovative Africa Forum in the format of a roundtable discussion on the 27th November 2013 in Kampala, Uganda. Participating will be leading experts driving innovation in Africa including Su Kahumbu, Founder of iCow, Simon Rweyongoza, of Center for Creative Leadership, and Kyai Mullei, Co-Founder of M-Changa. The Forum will be opened by The Rt Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Prime Minister of Uganda.

Innovative Africa – Uganda Conference. (Image source: ic-events.net)

With the theme “towards growth and development” the roundtable will explore how to create a conducive environment and an ecosystem for innovations in Africa. Conversation topics will include: developing solutions for innovations to drive social and economic growth in education, health and agriculture; Africa’s mobile banking revolution; technology and innovation as levers for business growth; and the support role of intellectual and property and patents.

The Forum builds on several special reports published by African Business over the past years, and the magazine’s philosophy to help shape the African agenda and to create the networks to fast track this growth, as well as Microsoft 4Afrika’s longstanding partnership with African innovators and ARIPO’s efforts to increase awareness of intellectual property rights among developers. It aims to engage its participants as well as a wider audience via social media to develop solutions that can be communicated to policy-makers and business decision-makers.

Omar Ben Yedder, publisher of African Business magazine, stated: “The role of innovation in Africa is an important discussion that is being had across several channels. By having this intimate roundtable session we aim to contribute real ideas and real solutions that can be auctioned upon. We are pleased to have Microsoft 4Afrika and ARIPO on board this important Forum and we hope to engage participants in the online community as well.”

Tonia Kariuki, marketing director for Microsoft 4Afrika, commented: “The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is a multi-year investment begun in February 2013 to help accelerate Africa’s economic development to help improve its global competitiveness. Our specific focus is around affordable access, world-class skills and innovation by Africans, for Africans. We are looking forward to engaging with Africa’s most innovative technology and business leaders at this Forum to discuss how together, we can work to unlock the potential of the people of Africa and ensure they have access to the tools they need to compete on the global stage.”